"One truth: that the mind is below truth, not above it, and is bound, not to descant upon it, but to venerate it; that truth and falsehood are set before us for the trial of our hearts." ~Bl. John Henry Newman

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Miriam the Cultural Commentator.

Our Lenten resolutions having been flushed (almost literally) down the toilet by the flu, Miriam and I spent the morning watching PBS Kids. Let's just say, Sesame Street ain't what it used to be.

Hitherto, Miriam's exposure to Sesame Street has been limited to the 1969 First Season DVD. She loves it. The cover has a strange little blurb warning that "this release is intended for adult audiences and may not be appropriate for today's preschool children." I have no idea what that means. Correction: I HAD no idea what that meant. Now I do.

Today's episode featured a frantic Telly leaping into his best friend, "Baby Bearw's," birthday cake. The camera shots were quick, the colors were blazing, the dialogue was infantile, the words were so muddled together and spoken in such obnoxious tones that I could hardly follow the "plot."

Miriam watched with growing confusion and distaste.

"Mummy?"

"Hm. Yes?"

"Why are they talking so fast?"

Pause.

"Mummy, why are they all yelling?"

Needless to say, we stopped right there is put in good ol' Episode 263 from Season Two. It was quiet. It was educational. She understood. Clearly, she belongs in 1969. Or something. I suppose shows appropriate "for today's preschoolers" need to careen toward no point at all at breakneck pace just to hold said preschoolers' attention. Ah, the breakdown of Western civilization.

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Every mother can be a student of philosophy and needs a way to learn answers to the great questions: who am I? where am I going and where did I come from? how do I know good and evil? what is there after life? The gift of motherhood is also a responsibility to form our minds and hearts for our children and husbands. This blog is a way for us to work together through these questions in the virtual communion of saints and sinners.